One thing: TOYS

If the toy situ at your place is anything like mine, it looks like this most of the time.

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Maybe there is a designated storage cupboard or spot where they go but they inevitably get filled up badly when things get put back, or there are just piles, ready to topple at any given moment filled with toys, and drawings, and paintings and games and stuff.

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I had a day recently where Rob had taken the girls out for a few hours, and Mags was asleep and I knew that with no one interrupting me I could make my #onething to deal with the (da da daaaaaa) TOYS.

For those of you not playing along, #onething is where I do just ONE THING from my to-do list, but not your every day to-do list. Oh no, this is the list of non essential items that sort of kind of need to get done but it’s no biggie if they don’t get done until next week, or next month, or um, next year. Those things. Just one. Every week.

Yes, after Christmas and School holidays, they needed to be done good and proper. I think it had been 12 months since they had been properly sorted. And as the girls are now getting older, and more games are given each birthday and Christmas, we had a board game situation that needed sorting. Stat.

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I made a coffee. I put some tunes on. I put that baby down for a sleep and I went for it. Pulled every single item from the expedit we had that stored all of the things. Wiped every surface down. It always looks WAY worse, before it looks better.

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Things were sorted into chuck, donate, keep. And then separated into areas for the people they belong to. Mags now has all her baby toys on the bottom shelves, ready for her to destroy access at any given moment. I even pulled the book case out and cleaned BEHIND IT. Unheard of. There were approximately 13 million little pieces of missing puzzles, plastic toys, cards, and general bits back there. It wasn’t pretty.

We donated so much stuff too. Some stuff still in packaging that I knew we could do without. I threw out colouring books from when the girls were little (why was I holding onto those?) old pencils and textas that didn’t work anymore. SO SATISFYING.

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And then after a few hours everything was back in its place. Things sorted. Systems in place!  Can I get a HELL YES?

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And a little while later, I can report that it’s still pretty tidy. Mainly because I took so much of the noise and unused stuff. A place for everything and we all know how much that makes my heart sing.

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And even though it took me a few days later to get the stuff to Vinnies, its all gone now. Sorted for another 12 months.

What was your one thing this week?
What’s the best way you store all your toys? Do you have them on rotation?
Go choose something, right now, just have a look around and there will be something waiting…

Comments

  1. We do toy rotation here. I have 5 big tubs of assorted toys that I keep stored above our wardrobe, and one box comes down every fortnight or so. We have a small house and the clutter was driving me crazy. Rotating this way lets me see things that the kids are really interested in. If I notice something hasn’t been played with over a few rotations it goes straight to vinnies – I’m ruthless. But that’s small-space living with kids for you!

  2. I did the school desk this week, washed and groomed the dog yesterday and the board games are in my sights today! Feeling even more inspired now (and very glad I don’t have baby toys any more!).

  3. Re board games – I put them in the expedit too but store them on their side, like books. Makes it easier to get them out. The only exception is older games where the boxes are a bit fragile. I’m next to your blog and I love idea of #onething!

  4. This is “Tidy Freak ” porn. I can’t look away….. 🙂

  5. That’s ace. I just think it’s a pity you have such a shithouse eye for interiors, Beth, otherwise these pictures would be much nicer……. Jeeeezus, can you come and do my house, too? It’s like a fucking explosion of colour and texture and awesome. I want all your stuff. I’ll even take the 13 million pieces of crap behind the Expedit. All of it!

    My one thing is that I went to the gym. I know, I know. That’s meant to be a daily/weekly/regular thing but it has fallen off the radar a bit so I’m claiming it.

    xx

  6. This is very timely, I’m sad to say I actually lay awake last night lamenting the toy situation in our tiny house last night. The clutter is getting me down! So, it’s off to IKEA today so I can rest in peace tonight!

  7. I used to drive myself crazy every night with my lot. I couldn’t go to bed until every piece of puzzle, blocks, doll stuff, everything was in its place. I would be lifting the couch and searching. The upside of this is that 25 years or so later my granddaughter is playing with wooden puzzles and blocks, and games and eventually Barbies, that have all their pieces!

  8. My house was so messy and full of my son toys everywhere! So I went to Ikea to buy some woods pieces and made a big wood box to keep all of my son toys in it. Anyway I love your ideas a lot 🙂

  9. I just did my linen closet. I had tablecloths I hadn’t used since I mioved in 8 years ago….off to donation! I can see the floor now.

  10. Wanna do my linen cupboard?

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